Case Study: Cornell University achieves hands-on preservation and teaching of historical kinematic models with Stratasys Dimension 3D Printers

Cornell University - Customer Case Study

Cornell University’s Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, custodian of the world’s largest set of Franz Reueaux kinematic mechanisms, needed a way to make its 19th‑century cast‑iron and brass models accessible for teaching, conservation and public use beyond static displays and virtual images. To address this, Cornell turned to Stratasys and its Dimension 3D Printer to reproduce accurate, functional replicas for hands‑on study.

Stratasys’ Dimension 3D Printer was used with digital files from Cornell’s K‑MODDL library to produce durable ABS, working kinematic models; more than 300 historical models are cataloged and several STL files are available for download so students and educators worldwide can print their own replicas. The Stratasys solution enabled tactile learning of friction, dynamics and tolerances, supported artifact conservancy, and extended hands‑on CAD and prototyping education from university classrooms to high schools and technical colleges.

Cornell University

Hod Lipson

Assistant Professor Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering,